The Major Themes in the Plays of Rabindra Nath Tagore
“The Major Themes in the Plays of Rabindra Nath Tagore:
A Critical Study”
Mrs. Neetu Rastogi
M.A., M.Phil.B.Ed
Department of English, H.L.Y.P.G. College, Lucknow.
The purpose of the present project is a conscientious Endeavour to explore, evaluate and establish the greatness of Tagore’s genius in the literary world that has long been a subject of interrogation and negligence. Tagore made major contribution in the realm of English novel, poetry, drama, music, painting, poetics and philosophy. His inspired genius and comprehensive vision surpassed the barriers of languages and traditions to seek its outlet through various forties, languages and patterns. Whatever, mode and form fascinated his creative sensibility but his widespread humanity and inherent poetic creed reigned supreme. With the honour of Noble Prize, he was universally acknowledged as a poet but it had been a weakness of the critics of Tagore that they had paid no heed to his dramatic genius and tried to evaluate him on the basis of canons laid down by Aristotle and followed by Shakespeare and other dramatics of Elizabethan Age. However, the fact is obvious that genius has its own alchemy beyond and above the periphery of tradition, with the change of social ethos, literary tradition also seek modification to suit the demands of Society of which literature is a verbal presentation.
Rabindra Nath Tagore was one of those Thinkers who did not adhere to any tradition but carved out his own way to make a tradition for the future generation. Tagore, in his life time, produced more than forty pieces that can be placed in the category of drama. Some of them are written in English, others are translated by other writers while a large group of them have been translated by Tagore himself with greater consummate skill of an artist. If drama is a representation of an ‘action’, it certainly entitles him to be included among the major dramatist of the world. In Tagore’s dramatic sensibility, there is
A Critical Study”
Mrs. Neetu Rastogi
M.A., M.Phil.B.Ed
Department of English, H.L.Y.P.G. College, Lucknow.
The purpose of the present project is a conscientious Endeavour to explore, evaluate and establish the greatness of Tagore’s genius in the literary world that has long been a subject of interrogation and negligence. Tagore made major contribution in the realm of English novel, poetry, drama, music, painting, poetics and philosophy. His inspired genius and comprehensive vision surpassed the barriers of languages and traditions to seek its outlet through various forties, languages and patterns. Whatever, mode and form fascinated his creative sensibility but his widespread humanity and inherent poetic creed reigned supreme. With the honour of Noble Prize, he was universally acknowledged as a poet but it had been a weakness of the critics of Tagore that they had paid no heed to his dramatic genius and tried to evaluate him on the basis of canons laid down by Aristotle and followed by Shakespeare and other dramatics of Elizabethan Age. However, the fact is obvious that genius has its own alchemy beyond and above the periphery of tradition, with the change of social ethos, literary tradition also seek modification to suit the demands of Society of which literature is a verbal presentation.
Rabindra Nath Tagore was one of those Thinkers who did not adhere to any tradition but carved out his own way to make a tradition for the future generation. Tagore, in his life time, produced more than forty pieces that can be placed in the category of drama. Some of them are written in English, others are translated by other writers while a large group of them have been translated by Tagore himself with greater consummate skill of an artist. If drama is a representation of an ‘action’, it certainly entitles him to be included among the major dramatist of the world. In Tagore’s dramatic sensibility, there is
References: 1. Rabindranath Tagore, “Reminiscences”, (London : Macmillan 1917), P.39 2 3. Krishna Kriplani, “Rabindranath Tagore : A Biography” (Culcutta : Visva Bharti, 1980), P.155 5. Rabindranath Tagore, “Crisis in Civilization” (Culcutta : Visva Bharti, 1988), P.23 7. Richard Church, “Universal Man”, included in “Rabindranath Tagore : Centenary Volume” (Delhi : Sahitya Academy, 1987), P.132 9. Viswanath S. Narvane, “An Introduction to Rabindranath Tagore, (Madras : Macmillan, 1977) P.66.